Into The Unknown
by AuroraKnight
Summary: Clark's attempt to save Chloe from BrainIAC goes awry when interference sends them both to another world. Chloe is captured by the Volturi and Clark's hands are tied, but he finds help in the form of a mysterious girl who insists he is vital to the future
1. I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!

**Disclaimer: **Smallville is the property of its respective owners and Twilight is the property of Stephanie Meyer. I don't claim to own either. I'm just using the characters a little :D

**A/N: **

This story takes place during the episode "Abyss" in Season 8, before Chloe loses her memories of Clark. I also borrowed some dialogue from later that episode.

I recommend that you know Smallville Season 8 and have read Twilight and New Moon. If you're not up on the Twilight, you still might be okay, though, because Clark will eventually need an explanation.

Although it has taken a while, I have listened to those of you reviewing, considered your suggestions and rewritten this story. Hopefully you will find it improved.

**1) **This story is no longer written in the first person perspective. I felt that, as MysticWolf1 said, Clark was out of character. And as I am not familiar enough with Clark's thought processes to do him justice in the first person perspective, and want to keep my prose similar to before, I have chosen to write in third person. I hope this will not deter you from reading!

**2)** Like "MysticWolf1" said, Clark would not get worn out, and Clark could easily have run away. So I changed a few things to make the events more plausible. Hopefully this helps. Also, please keep in mind a few things while reading:

*I've assumed mental powers work on Clark, as they have in the past.

*Kryptonite has the same effects as in Clark's home universe

*To address the comment about why so many normal vamps would be in the Volturi stronghold at once:

I) It is feeding time when Clark "arrives." The Volturi have a 'fisher' who brings back the 'food'/tourists and they all feed.

ii) The Volturi have within their guard the vampire Chelsea, whose power is undoing or strengthening the ties of relationships. Forced loyalty to the Volturi prevents these vamps from leaving.

*Newborn vampires usually have bloodlust and uncontrollable urges, but there can be exceptions, such as Carlisle or Bella. Regular vampires do have a significant amount of control, just less than vampires who drink animal blood.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading. I hope you'll re-read the story as it is now, and I'll be waiting for your thoughts. I would prefer if you logged in when you review so I can send a response rather than post it on here.

_**Chapter 1: Chloe, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!**_

Everything was cold, so cold. Chloe shivered, despite the warmth that came from the arms that cradled her. Clark's arms. She was surprised she remembered that much. Her memories had been slowly disappearing all day, each loss adding onto the despair until she was falling...falling into the hopeless abyss with no one to save her. Except Clark. He was her last hope.

She'd lied to him for a long time, not wanting him to be worried. But the truth was, she was petrified. She could feel BrainIAC's presence more with each coming day. Sometimes she felt herself slipping away, as though her essence was fading into nothing.

She had been in the barn, trying to assuage Clark's guilt over her condition when it happened. Her memories of Clark catching a car started to flicker. She'd fought against it, refusing to forget, when she'd felt herself blacking out. She regained consciousness on an ice pyre in the fortress' center, just as Clark asked his father to save her, for the second time in her life. She kept her eyes closed, listening to the voices that seemed so far away.

"Chloe never would have gotten hurt if she wasn't trying to protect me."

"I tried to warn you of the danger in sharing your true identity." Jor-el's voice reverberated.

In her groggy state, Chloe idly wondered where they were going with this.

"Now that I'm taking more risks...it's even more dangerous for her. Chloe deserves a life free from the burden of my secret. When you restore her memory, I don't want her to remember anything about Krypton... or my abilities."

"I know this choice is not easy for you, my son, but it will be done."

She felt Clark's eyes on her, and heard the ice crunch under his shoes as he shifted his weight nervously. She was angry, damn it! She wanted to sit up and defend herself against Clark's assumptions of what was best for her, but she held her tongue, overwhelmingly curious to hear what he would say next.

"You've been the best friend and ally I could have had, Chloe. The truth is, you've saved me more than I ever could have saved you. I'm sorry to go back to hiding the truth from you. But the best way that I know to protect you is to let you go."

Chloe felt her anger boil over and clung to it like a life raft. Before she could think, her body had sat up of its own volition, and her eyes opened to stare piercingly at Clark. She could only hope she would remember him long enough to lay into him.

"Clark Kent, how _dare_ you!" she yelled. "How dare you make my choices for me?"

Clark took a step back, clearly surprised at Chloe's awakened state. But it was too late for take-backs. A wave of light surrounded Chloe, leaving Clark stranded outside. Tears began to fall down her eyes as she realized anger would not solve this.

"No!" she yelled. "I refuse to forget! You hear me, Jor-el? Don't even try it!"

She turned to face Clark in desperation. "I'm not going to lie to you, Clark. It might have been a burden, but it was never a burden I regretted having to bear!"

Chloe pounded on the barrier frantically with her fists. Her eyes implored Clark to help her, to make it stop. She saw the epiphany in his eyes. He'd finally acknowledged to himself that he'd made the wrong choice.

"Chloe!" he suddenly yelled, reaching toward her. Their hands met on opposite sides of the wall of light and a large boom was heard. All Chloe and Clark could see was white, and then...nothing. Nothing at all.

In seconds everything went quiet, like the fortress had disappeared, and Clark felt as though he was alone, in solitary existence. A noise permeated the void, and Clark opened his eyes. He was faced with an unexpected and horrific scene.

Blood. It stained the carpet of the room as one creature dropped the human it was drinking from. Twenty more drained corpses lay scattered on the floor, and red-eyed figures curiously glanced Clark's way. Their collective gazes were hypnotic, and he could see the hunger in their eyes as they analyzed him. His own deep-seated fear came to the forefront as it trembled through his core.

Clark quickly recognized the implications of the horrific scene he'd stumbled onto. It wasn't entirely unlike his previous experience, when Lana had joined that strange sorority on campus. He considered their numbers. While there were quite a few vampires present, Clark was fairly sure he could immobilize or defeat them all if he chose his actions carefully. But as he wasn't aware of the rules of physics in this place he had been stranded, Clark also took care not to be reckless.

He moved quickly, but calculating, and they followed his movements. He maneuvered around their attempts to lunge at him, to go for his throat. They were fast, but Clark was faster. He set a few on fire with his heat vision. Thankfully the heat waves that emitted from his eyes could distort the air more quickly than the monsters could dodge. Clark's eyes narrowed in thought and his jaw set as he realized the fire didn't exactly have a lasting effect.

Clark inhaled deeply and pushed himself to move faster than he ever had. A short, platinum blonde vampire swung at Clark, but Clark punched him squarely in the chest, sending him flying into the wall. To Clark's surprise, the blonde stood right back up as though Clark hadn't touched him at all.

The boy of steel was quickly becoming frustrated. Clearly he would have to exert a significant portion of his strength and speed to protect himself from these creatures and stop their attacks. He could let loose but Clark was also reluctant to kill or grievously wound any of them, for fear that they could still be saved, like Lana had.

A tall dark-haired vampire attempted an attack and he caught her fist. He pulled his arm back to punch but hesitated as his conscience would not let him hit a girl. She took advantage of his lapse in judgement and flipped him over, but he managed to plant his feet solidly on the ground and flip her to the ground instead. Cracks spread over her face before healing, and Clark blurred into superspeed.

He continued to evade the creatures' assaults, occasionally knocking one or two back as they came dangerously close. But by now these blood-lusting monsters had figured out the pattern in Clark's movements and arranged themselves to take advantage of the flaws in his defense. Far worse, they had recognized his hesitation to kill. They moved in from all directions, but they still could not keep up with Clark. He didn't think they could kill him, but not being sure, he wouldn't allow himself to cease running, to give them the opening to try. But Clark knew that he couldn't keep this up forever. He was fast approaching a stalemate, and realized the best plan of action was going to be escape. His mind quickly reminded him of Chloe.

_Okay, maybe escape and rescue. Or rescue, then escape?_

Clark shook his head in frustration, before scanning the large room for a door. Seeing it directly opposite the thrones, he immediately headed in that direction. But before he could exit, his ears picked up a subtle conversation occurring between two vampires in the corner of the room. He hadn't noticed them before, too preoccupied with figuring out what was going on.

"What do you want to do with the girl?"

_Wait...the girl? Chloe..._

Clark focused his hearing more closely, while continuing to dodge. Then he saw the short, blonde hair of the girl hanging limply from the white haired man's arms.

_Chloe!_

Clark zoomed toward the man but was abruptly repelled by a physical shield. A girl of average build stood next to him, her hand grasping the man's cloak. Clark recovered almost instantaneously, about to go into super speed again, but this time he didn't get the chance. An intense pain shot through his entire body, crippling him to the point where coherent thought was nearly impossible and large scale movement was out of the question.

His eyes caught sight of a small, cloaked girl, whose eyes glinted evilly in the dim light. Clark recognized her from moments ago when she had scowled, presumably at being unable to follow his motions. Now that the shield's barrier had slowed him, she had easily pinpointed his position. The dark expression of smugness on her face was unmistakable. Clark quickly felt his sight and hearing diminish, barely hearing the words, "Alec, I can handle it."

His senses came back in full force and Clark groaned in pain, frustrated at his own stupidity. His intent had simply been to save Chloe and get out of whatever hell they'd been thrown into. But he admitted with irritation that he'd been caught off guard by something he couldn't have predicted. Somehow these vampires had abilities resembling the magic that devastated his defenses.

His next few minutes were excruciating, the pain on par with or maybe even worse than being near his green, glowing weakness. And then, despite the torturous pain being purely psychological, Clark's body became extremely weak. He frowned, noting with annoyance that he'd always been particularly vulnerable to mental attacks.

Clark saw some of the remaining vampires lunge for him, complacent smirks adorning their faces. Clearly, they presumed his defeat was inevitable. Clark wished he could just move, and prove them wrong. His persistence was rewarded. Clark pushed through the roaring pain that filled his head and body and managed to throw a few of the attackers off of him. They recovered quickly, but Clark didn't care. He sure as hell wasn't going to make this easy for them. The small cloaked girl hissed at the others and came closer, anger adorning her facial features. Clark was caught in a trance at the glint of her crimson eyes, so much closer now than they had been before.

She squinted, appearing to concentrate and Clark felt a new wave of pain grip its way through his body. He fell to the ground in shock, but attempted to pick himself up again and fight. He failed. The hooded girl laughed at his attempt.

"Never before has anyone managed to break the grip of my gift once they have tasted the pain it brings." She began. "You have my attention, stranger, for you've put up an exceptionally good fight. In honor of your struggle, I'll disclose to you my name, so that you may at least know the one who bested you. I am Jane."

"You think I care about your name?" Clark asked incredulously. "This isn't a contest!"

Jane hissed. "Be thankful. You have been granted a privilege many humans don't get from us: respect."

She paused. "I will make this as painless as possible. Alec!"

Jane moved in closer and Clark closed his eyes and inhaled, knowing this breath might be his last. The overpowering scent of rust and salt assaulted his nostrils, forcing a cough from his lungs. Then, the pain became more intense, causing him to grit his teeth, and clench his hands into fists. He could feel the pain ripping away at his consciousness, and he thrashed back and forth, willing himself to stay awake and alive. But it was futile. Clark saw mist coming at him, and struggled as his hearing diminished, his eyesight failed, and all senses except the one causing him pain ceased to work. Panicked, Clark's mind filled with a myriad of images that tore through his consciousness with furious velocity before eventually coalescing into one final thought.

_Chloe! Help!_

And then he thought no more.


	2. Collecting him

**A/N:** Hey! I noticed a few people have me on story alert. I think that's just awesome. Thanks! If you get a chance, drop me a line via review and let me know what you think so far! In the meantime I'll just continued writing. :D

**Chapter 2:** _**Collecting Him**_

The fact that he awoke at all was no less than a miracle, but Clark couldn't figure out where he was. The room was oddly reminiscent of a bedroom, but missing something essential: windows. They must have figured he'd try to escape. Clark's first reaction was to jump off the bed and zip over to the mirror. He sighed in relief. Everything looked normal. He felt normal. For a minute he'd been worried. After all, who knew what a vampire's bite might do to him?

A noise sounded outside the door and Clark's head jutted sharply in its direction.

"I could not pierce his skin, Alec. What the hell is he?"

Clark recognized Jane's voice. _She must be guarding the door._

He squinted and the door melted away, revealing two small figures facing his door on the opposite side of the hallway. The boy seemed to be in deep concentration, while the girl looked bored. He sat down on the bed again, and began to think of possible rescue plans.

He pictured himself running full tilt through the door, splintering it into pieces, then taking off down the hallway to find Chloe before Jane and Alec could react.

_That works._

But he still didn't know where she was being held, and she'd definitely be guarded. He wouldn't be able to just grab her and go. He also had to slow down slightly to pick her up, or else he'd end up breaking her neck with the resistance. That would give the vampires an opening. Plus, busting the door down would make it very obvious that he'd escaped.

Clark sighed, and let his mind drift to another idea. Punching through the bedroom's stone wall could work.

_Then again, with my luck the outside would be lined with Kryptonite._

The only problem with that plan was he'd still have to sneak back in and find Chloe, likely facing the same obstacles he'd mentioned before.

Clark let himself fall back onto the bed with a thump._ Chloe's better at planning than I am. _

He looked up at the ceiling. It was painted black, like everything else in the room.

_Way to be stereotypical._ _I wonder if there are coffins in this place._

Then the ceiling...moved. _What?_ _Am I going crazy?_

Clark jumped up, about to say "to hell with it" and zoom out of there when he heard a small commotion in the hallway. He listened in.

"She told you what?"

A hiss, female. "Don't say it so loud, who knows if he can hear us!"

Jane's growl. "I don't particularly care. Aro sent you here to tell me, so tell me!"

Feet shuffling. Clark figured it was the messenger who had backed off, considering Jane's 'gift.'

"It was creepy even by our standards," the unknown girl said. "Her eyes went completely black, but metallic, not like ours. Then she said, 'Do something for me, and I'll help you acquire him.'"

_Acquire me? What?_

Clark tensed, and had to bite his tongue to keep from swearing.

_Great timing, Brainiac. As if I don't have enough to deal with._

"Heidi, you and Felix are trying my patience. You've got twenty seconds to say it or you'll be writhing on the floor."

"She says he is weak to the radiation from a particular type of rock, one that she will allow us to use, if we cooperate with her demands." Felix explained.

Clark stumbled backwards at this news, tripping over a footstool and crashing into the wall, denting it.

_I've got to run._ _Now._

But he couldn't see. Clark's jaw set. He had clearly underestimated the vampires guarding his door. The movement of black ceiling that he'd considered a mind trick had actually been extremely still mist. Clark berated himself for not initially giving it more consideration.

Jane and the other three vampires rushed into his room. The pain started again.

"Get it." Jane hissed. "Now, before he gets away!"

"She might not give it to us."

"_Get_ it." Jane hissed. "I don't care if you have to rip her head off."

The pain hit Clark like a freight train, but he pushed himself to work through it and stand up. He couldn't give in, especially not when giving up meant death, or worse, losing the last shred of humanity he had. _Acquiring him_. He finally realized what it meant. Clark continued to fight even after he'd lost his hearing. But it was when the familiar blazing in his veins and accompanying nausea flooded through his system that his body called it quits.

_Damn Kryptonite. It's always Kryptonite. Am I the only one with a big, obvious, glowing weakness?_

He collapsed on the floor, chest heaving with deep breaths. Jane knelt down to his figure, smiling. She used her nail to slice a fine scratch into the back of his neck, just deep enough for a droplet of blood to make its way through. Clark felt her wipe the blood off and watched with disgust as she put it to her lips.

"Delicious." she said, her eyes widening. "Tell Aro I'm very pleased."

Heidi frowned. "You had better be thankful. The favor she wanted was worded very cleverly. Aro might have sacrificed a lot for this, all for some _human_ that you have the hots for."

"Watch your mouth." Jane growled, her gaze not leaving Clark's crumpled body. "I do not have the 'hots' for him, as you say so distastefully. But he could be a powerfully ally."

"Or a powerful enemy. If he's this powerful without being one of us, imagine what would happen if..."

"Aro has considered this, and you're more than welcome to leave the Volturi if you disagree with his choices. We can find another 'fisher'."

Heidi gritted her teeth. "I'm not leaving or shutting up just because you're a walking torture chamber."

Jane's eyes glinted dangerously. "Watch it, Heidi. You're stepping on dangerous ground. I wonder what Aro would say if I told him that you're questioning his ability to make decisions. Maybe he'd let me have the honor of tearing you to pieces."

Heidi's expression briefly faltered with fear. "He wouldn't..."

Jane scowled. "He would. Now get lost." She spat.

Currently weak and below human strength, Clark had very little fight left in him. He attempted to wriggle away as Jane moved closer, but in his current state, was no match for her. She quickly closed in and he felt his life draining away. Then the burning started. He hoped it wouldn't last long.


	3. This fire isn't Kryptonite!

**A/N (Important):** Unfortunately, for those of you who don't like *vamp* Clark, he is essential to my plotline, and I'm afraid he must remain, for now.

Explanations for how he can be turned are interweaved into the plot and will eventually out.

**Chapter 3:** _**This fire isn't Kryptonite!**_

Pain. His body was overflowing with it. Every vein and artery pulsed with its presence. But the torturous, agonizing fire was foreign to him, a far cry from the hot, boiling feeling that normally accompanied Kryptonite. In the time Clark had been unconscious, it had spread to his legs, feet, and toes before eventually circling to attack his other extremities and continuing to burn his core. After living a life that afforded him little physical pain, Clark realized he had been spoiled. His intolerance drastically disadvantaged him, to the point where the pain was crippling. He couldn't feel the will to fight against it at the current intensity.

Clark heard a voice yelling in the distance. It sounded like his own. Shock joined the fire in his body as he confirmed his voice. The idea of feeling so disconnected from his own actions terrified him.

He tried to remember what he had been doing before he ended up here, but instead he saw an assortment of images: a bright blue light, the distraught look on the Chloe's face, the red-eyed vampires lunging at him, and the cloaked girl's evil grin before the darkness came. The fog spread, and even those memories appeared to dissipate. The more effort Clark put into retrieving them, the more they turned to cloud and smoke, his fingers falling through them as though they had never existed. Clark continued to grasp at nothing, and became frustrated, fighting harder against the forced amnesia. He supposed with cynicism this is what Chloe felt like when BrainIAC had begun to delete her memories.

The memory of BrainIAC encouraged him, and he pushed harder. Clark outright refused to forget who he was, and furthermore, refused to forget Chloe. He couldn't begin to describe how much of a godsend she had been, weaving her way into the strands of his life as an advisor, a sidekick, and most importantly, a friend. After what seemed like an eternity of fighting, the fog slowly pulled away and there she stood, shining like the sun in Clark's mind, fighting the clouds away. He wondered if she was okay, and if Brainiac would ever stop using her body to further its own malicious agenda.

Ostensibly safe from the threat of losing his memories, Clark's attention quickly focused on a new source of worry - the sound of his heart beating erratically. The fire that had consumed his body for what seemed like an eternity was finally beginning to recede, and in its place a chill washed over him. It began in Clark's lower half, slithering its way toward his core. His hands and arms were no exception. The cold took them over too. Eventually the fire concentrated near his heart, which continued to beat uncontrollably, as if trying to save itself with the effort. Clark tensed as his heart suddenly stopped.

_I should be dead._

The fire continued its movement upward until its last remnants rested behind Clark's eyes. He sighed forlornly, as he was no stranger to that feeling. Clark actually hoped for that fire to distort the air and set the place aflame. It would be a sweet reprieve from his currently hopeless condition. Instead the fire smouldered, and went out, echoing the frigid feeling of the rest of his body, and he found he could move. He cursed that tiny girl for not just killing him, but at the same time was grateful, because at least somewhat alive, he could still save Chloe.

Clark sat up, disoriented and afraid of what he might see. He was a different bedroom than before. This one had a window. A mirror sat to his right. Clark didn't know if he wanted to look, or if he could even bring himself to. But he swallowed and closed his eyes in mental preparation. The burning that lined Clark's throat surprised him as much as his senses - even more alive than before. Given his unique background, he was used to the sight, the hearing, and the strength, but it was the acute sense of smell he noticed the most. Something outside smelled fantastic to him, like nothing he'd ever eaten before. His body began to react, and he exercised what little control he had left, to prevent himself from chasing after it. Clark held his breath, and found it helped.

To be honest, he'd made the connection before passing out earlier, and now, given the chance to react, he wasn't holding back. The outer layer of wall caved way with his angry punch, revealing nothing but more stone wall.

Clark finally opened his eyes and glanced into the mirror, the space between it and him hanging ominously. A pair of unfamiliar red eyes stared back from across the abyss. A sharp hiss escaped from his lips and he had to stop his body from reflexively crouching at the inescapably terrifying image. The reflection lingered accusingly, shouting as if it had a voice.

Clark was paralyzed at the sight, shocked into a frozen state. His appearance, though not nearly in the realm of unattractive before, was now even more alluring and had become almost godlike. But appearances are deceiving, for he was also surrounded with a perceivable aura of danger. It hung in the air, screamed "Predator!" to any human who dared to linger. As an affirmation of his earlier thoughts, Clark glumly noted that he looked more inhuman than he ever had. His hope sunk and what passed for his blood quickly pooled at his feet. With resignation, he slumped back into a sitting position, looking down at his sock-covered ankles. Like many who had experienced the same sick and unfortunate circumstance, Clark asked "Why?" The silence was deafening in its answer.

He allowed himself to fall backwards onto the bed until he was staring forlornly at the gray ceiling. There was no hope of things going back to normal now, no way to deny the inevitable.

_I'm screwed._


	4. Reality check

Chapter 4: Reality Check

He'd tried to escape, but it hadn't gone well. After jumping out the window, he'd been hit with the scent of the crowd near the alleyway. Being unacquainted with such a powerful smell, his willpower and control began to wane. But Clark had immediately stopped breathing and sunk his fingers so deep into the stone wall that some of it had crumbled to dust in his hands. Regardless of the feeling in his throat, he refused to take a human life.

He had thought about running to the Arctic and getting his condition under control. It wasn't a bad idea. He wouldn't have to worry about humans in the immediate vicinity, and he could also ask Jor-el to return him to his normal self. But it would also mean leaving Chloe behind, and that he could not do. He supposed he could sneak in and save her, but the vampires were too cautious not to have Kryptonite somewhere close. Chloe would end up having to save him instead, resulting in them both being recaptured. Furthermore, he had to consider that she was human and he was now...less human than before. Even if he could get to the room where she was being held, it was likely he wouldn't be able to get within ten feet of her without killing her. That thought hurt more than the thirst.

Clark had quickly jumped back up to the bedroom, entered, and shut the window. He'd come to the realization that in order to survive with this disadvantage he would need to stay long enough to learn what to expect. Finding out the details would be important before he tore out of there.

Clark sighed as he allowed himself to fall lightly to the bed, causing the springs to groan in protest. He didn't really feel much different, he supposed, but this whole vampire thing was still making him feel even more alien in his own body than he already did.

_And just when I was getting used to being from another planet..._

Sick of sitting and waiting, Clark figured he'd take the time to make sure his abilities still functioned properly. After all, he needed to be sure of their availability to him in a fight. He'd already tested his strength, speed, and hearing since he had awoken. They thankfully remained unchanged. Clark grabbed a hanging wall decoration for the first test and stared at it. He felt his eyes heat up and burn momentarily before the decoration burst into flame. He put it out with his hands.

_Heat vision, check._

Then he concentrated on the door. It disappeared from his vision as usual and allowed him to see the other side. The one he presumed to be Alec was guarding his door, but Jane was no where to be found. Clark was relieved, but also suspicious at the lack of reinforcements outside. Then again he figured he hadn't given the vampires enough credit. It was entirely possible that they had_ wanted_ him to try and escape, hoping he'd be disoriented and afraid to leave.

He sighed as he realized his restraint from killing anyone in the earlier brawl may also have demonstrated his hesitation to take a human life. There were a million things that kept him here, Clark realized. He wouldn't leave Chloe, and Jane and the others would have to be dumb not to notice. Furthermore, they'd acquired Kryptonite. A hole appeared in the wall as the Kansas farmboy directed his anger through his foot. His obvious Achilles heel was beginning to get extremely annoying.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Aro wants to see you." A male voice said.

"I'm sure he does." Clark muttered under his breath.

The door opened, allowing passage to the child-like vampire as well as his new, tall and hefty companion.

"I'd advise against trying anything." Alec growled. "Unless you enjoy being a blind, deaf and paralyzed heap on the floor."

Clark's anger festered in his steely gaze, but he never spoke, instead choosing to engage in quiet analysis. Something clearly was amiss. Since seeing them both, Clark was hit with the feeling that neither Alec nor Jane liked to be far from the other. Jane's absence hung ominously in the air, and Clark wondered what had transpired while he'd been unconscious.

_How long _was_ I out?_

He hadn't realized he spoke the words aloud until Alec responded cooly with, "Three days."

The surprise hit him fast but he managed to preserve his dignity, half muttering, "What?"

Alec's crimson eyes shone maliciously in the light, no hint of emotion other than anger. He turned to leave but not before catching Clark's eyes in an unfriendly gaze. The other one glared, and Clark resigned himself to follow Alec's moving form into the hallway. The boy led them through hallways, passing many pillars and paintings, before coming to an enormous room with stone and carvings. Three throne-like chairs sat in the middle of the floor, occupied by men who looked as though they were merely images preserved in marble.

Images suddenly flooded Clark's head of fighting, running, defending, and seeing Chloe's limp form in one of the vampires' arms. This was _the_ room: the one he'd appeared in.

Clark's gaze drifted back to the throned vampires, who now analyzed him with calculating eyes. Those eyes, almost milky, betrayed their age, along with skin that looked stony and fragile, as if it would crumble to dust when touched. The one with long brown hair stood up, an expression of perverse delight on his face.

"Welcome!" He exclaimed. "I'm Aro. Marcus sits to my right and Caius to my left. We are the ruling council of the vampires, the Volturi. I've been informed that your name is Clark."

A look of defiance crossed Clark's features, and he crossed his arms across his chest, refusing to respond.

Aro's warm demeanor all but disappeared at this contemptuous behavior."It seems our guest is not feeling particularly jovial today," he announced to the court.

Clark gritted his teeth before making his disgust known. "Why should I be? You took away my humanity."

A sly grin graced Aro's face as the he appeared to have an epiphany. "You're just having a little difficulty adjusting. I assure you that this will all seem normal in a few days."

Clark growled, something he didn't think he'd ever be used to. "Normal? You call this normal?"

"Well surely you're used to the abnormal. You were quite unique before Jane changed you."

This admission both irritated and terrified Clark. He froze, muscles tense and rigid.

"Your speed, your pyrokinetic ability, I could only imagine the possibilities for your talents as one of us."

Clark's fists clenched in anger, as the hatred escaped, refusing to be held inside any longer.

"I don't want to be one of you. I can't live a life where I kill people. I'm supposed to _protect_ them!"

Aro chuckled at that. "You're newborn, and dangerous. If we let you go, we chance exposing our kind to the world."

Clark felt pure fury churning in his stomach as he recognized what that meant.

"So what you're saying is, I'm a _prisoner_ here."

Aro responded cheerfully, something that irritated Clark to no extent. "Only until you can exhibit some self control."

_Which I already did, and he knows it._ Clark thought bitterly. He felt the nagging presence of his weakness nearby and knew that while he could escape, it would not be wise to try it now. So he played along.

"And of course, there is always a space for you on my guard."

Clark had to hold back a laugh at the absurdity of that statement.

"You can't be serious." he said.

But Aro wasn't joking. He glared at Clark, daring him to laugh again.

"To be chosen for the guard is an honor. Only the most talented vampires ever receive an invitation."

"You're murderers. I'd never join you." Clark snorted.

"Very well then. I have to say I _am_ disappointed. But I will hope that you reconsider in the future." Aro replied flippantly. "Perhaps your blonde friend might convince you."

That was it. Aro's show of indifference was one thing, but acting as though this condition was the most normal thing in the world, and then presuming the people Clark had sworn to protect were simply immaterial in the world of immortals just rubbed him the wrong way.

He dashed toward Aro furiously. The guards weren't quick enough to get to Clark, but the pain that hit him when he neared Aro was excruciating. He pushed through it. _This_ pain he was used to, and they hadn't factored in years of tolerance. He grabbed Aro by the front of his robe and pulled him near.

"Where is she? You better not have hurt her."

He was ripped away from Aro by the two guards, finally noticing how weak he'd become from the radiation. As he was pulled backwards, he noticed that Aro was suspiciously unprotected. Clark narrowed his eyes in thought.

He quieted down in what the others assumed was defeat, but was actually hidden resolve and quiet strategizing. Clark wasn't giving up. He just needed time to learn enough to get himself and Chloe out of there. But first he had to find her, and if he could just make Aro tell him where she was, maybe even let him see her...

Chloe's voice appeared in his head. _Wishful thinking, Clark._

Clark rolled his eyes at his mind's attempt to fabricate Chloe's snarky comments. He sighed. Apparently he was just going to have to bust in there, grab her, and leave.

His body tensed as suddenly the large doors opened and a multitude of strangers moved in behind one of the vampires. He immediately tried to hold his breath, to offset what he knew what was coming, but during his last intake of air, the scent assaulted him.

Aro laughed at his struggle, and Clark bit back a curse. "Let him go." he ordered.

Clark's eyes widened and he forgot about his resolve not to breathe. "No! Don't let me go! I might kill someone!"

He hated not being able to trust his own body to do what he wanted it to. These new instincts were difficult, at best, to deal with.

Aro continued to bask in silent mirth, as Clark was released from Felix and Demetri's grip. On a normal week, a second feeding wouldn't have taken place so soon, but with the presence of a newborn, Aro had ordered Heidi to fetch more tourists. He eyed Clark, waiting for the man to act like a _normal_ vampire, but knew from their brief conversation that things would not be so easy. The doors closed and all eyes fixed on Clark with anticipation, but instead of moving toward the humans, Clark held his breath again and backed toward the wall.

Aro sighed. "It seems he is not going to feed, so the rest of you may take your fill."

With that, the Volturi guard immediately began the feeding that Clark had been on the other side of just days prior.

Clark inched slowly for the large door and had nearly reached it when he saw Alec's dark mist heading for him with urgency. His mind screamed at him. _Get out! Hurry! _He opened the large door so forcefully that it nearly came off its hinges. A small, golden-eyed girl with a short spiky haircut stood in front of him with a panicked look on her face.

"We have to go. Now." She said with finality.

"Who are you?" Clark asked, using some of the air he'd been holding.

"No time! Come _on_!"

Clark found himself being dragged by the girl's ballerina-like form down the old corridor, passing by a desk with a human lady working away. His eyes widened before glancing behind him to see if they were being followed.

_Yep!_

Five vampires were nearly on their heels.

"I'm getting you out of here." The petite girl offered as they ran.

She removed a manhole-like cover, revealing an underground entrance, and dragged Clark with her, running through what seemed like a maze of tunnels before finally stopping in a hidden nook. Clark, assuming it safe to breathe again, began to talk.

"My friend, Chloe, is still in that building. We have to save her too," he whispered.

Clark watched as the girls eyes glazed over for half a second and then cleared. "Can't," she said sadly. "Won't work."

"What do you mean we _can't_?" Clark said angrily. He quickly snatched his hand back. "I'm going to find her."

"She's still BrainIAC."

That caught his attention. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Alice snorted. "I'm not stupid, you know. Look, if we go and get her now, it will result in disaster."

"_You_ can do what you want, but I'm not leaving here without her."

The girl sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's bad enough with _one_ of him around . . . " she muttered. "I didn't want to have to say this, but since you won't listen to reason . . . "

She stepped in front of Clark, her eyes boring into his own.

"If you see her now, you'll _kill_ her."

Clark shivered at her potent words. She had said exactly what he'd feared. "I didn't kill the crowd outside, or in the huge ballroom," he protested.

Alice's expression turned somber. "It's different. You'd kill _her_."

"...how would you know?"

"I can see the future."

Clark laughed. "Sure you can."

She frowned. "I can give you details if they'll convince you. But do you really want to confirm how right I am when you're drinking the blood from her throat?"

Clark nearly choked at the imagery that phrase conjured.

Alice motioned in the direction they'd come from.

"Go ahead. _Save_ her," She said caustically.

To an outsider, it may have seemed as though Alice was making a gamble, but that was far from the case. A seer for most of her life, Alice alone knew the impact her words would make on the choice of the man in front of her. Her eyes gleamed. The seeds of doubt were now in Clark's mind, and she knew he was horrified at the idea of taking a life, let alone his best friend's.

Alice opened her mouth to say the words she knew would seal the deal. "Don't worry, she will come to us unharmed."

Clark looked at her warily. "And you're sure of that."

"Absolutely. Now, look. We have to go. If we stay, in ten seconds, Demetri and Felix will round that corner and find us here. We'll be brought before Aro, then torn apart and burned. You won't get to save anyone then."

Clark frowned at how much the pixie-like girl resembled Chloe and nodded reluctantly.

"Let's go."

Alice smiled holding out her hand.

"I'm Alice, by the way."

"Clark."

"I know."

Clark followed Alice as they continued to run through the underground passageways and watched as she threw aside another manhole in the ceiling. He followed behind her, climbing to the alleyway above.

"I'm faster." Clark said when they reached the top. "I can carry you, if we need to be quick."

"No need, my Porsche is over there."

"But..."

Alice suddenly turned to him, her face grave.

"This is very important. I need you to stop breathing. It will be uncomfortable but trust me when I say it's necessary."

Clark frowned, frustrated, and decided that if Alice wasn't going to let him talk, he was just going to have to _show_ her what he meant. Glancing nervously at the crowds of people close by, Clark held his breath, much like he did earlier, and before Alice could put the key in the lock, he scooped her up and ran out of town.

Demetri and Alec were left standing in disbelief at the edge of the alley.

The look of shock on Alice's face was worth the anger that followed.

"My Porsche!" she protested, and Clark couldn't help but grin that her car was all she could think of.

"Alice," he said, "I need to know where we're headed."

"Oh. Right." The brunette was still in awe that she had not seen this ahead of time. "The airport in Sovicille. Edward's waiting."

Clark nodded and watched the signs as he passed. Alice gazed in wonder at the scenery which appeared to have frozen in time, and relished the feel of the wind on her face. "It's a miracle you haven't killed anyone yet." she said.

Clark cracked another grin. "I can hold my breath for a very long time." he admitted.

Alice barely had time to ponder what other amazing gifts Clark had when he announced, "We're almost there."

She idly wondered if Demetri would be able to track them with such an exit, before she spotted the airport, and a fuming Edward standing outside.


	5. Escaping

**A/N:** Hey everyone. This has been sitting on my computer for a bit and I thought I'd post it. It's not as polished as I'd like and a bit shorter, but I wanted to get it out to you, since you've been waiting some time now for an update. I'm hoping never to go this long without publishing another chapter again. Thanks for all your dedication to this story. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Chapter 5: Escaping**

Chloe paced nervously through the mansion, receiving curt nods from the oddly pale and beautiful people in the corridors. The instant respect she received was unnerving to say the least and she found herself contemplating its interrelatedness to BrainIAC.

_And speaking of alien beings...where the hell is Clark?_

She hoped he wouldn't leave her without good reason, but then again, maybe he hadn't left at all. It was entirely possible he was locked up somewhere, at the mercy of Kryptonite, or that BrainIAC had taken over her body and hurt him. That thought unearthed another question: how had BrainIAC managed to bring a piece of Kryptonite with them at all? Something definitely felt wrong and Chloe couldn't place it.

She sighed. Chloe had known that the gorgeous, red-eyed people were vampires from the moment she'd landed in the first hell room. After all, it had been simple to connect _pale_ and _drinks blood_ with vampire. But shortly after that, fatigue kicked in from her quantum leap and she had collapsed at their mercy. When she'd regained consciousness a few minutes ago she'd found herself surrounded by the deadly creatures, but they'd all regarded her with fear.

Chloe tensed with frustration and closed her eyes, letting her hands curl into fists.

_Keep it together, Sullivan. These people don't think you're Chloe. They respect BrainIAC. Play on that. Play on that long enough to find Clark._

A short blonde girl with hazel eyes passed by, looking confused and resentful. Flashbacks entered Chloe's head of the same girl with red eyes, vicious and smiling evilly.

_What happened to __**her**__?_

The girl turned to regard her before scurrying away at Chloe's hardened gaze, but the blonde quickly pushed off the hard concrete, attempting to catch up. Conflicting feelings raged through her mind: the desire to catch the petite girl, but also the fear of breaching the limits of human speed and unintentionally booting up the renegade alien AI inhabiting her body. A name drifted softly from her lips as remnants of a memory returned to her.

"Jane."

The girl suddenly stopped in her tracks and cautiously turned around. Her previously disconcerted expression turned into a forced scowl as she walked up to Chloe, pointing an accusing finger at her chest. "How do _you_ know my name?"

Chloe could easily see through Jane's put-on. The girl's malevolence had clearly been subdued since their last meeting. She swallowed and attempted to put on a BrainIAC persona. "Don't speak to me with such disrespect. You are an insignificant creature."

She inwardly winced at how dead-on her act seemed, and watched as Jane trembled and attempted to run away. Chloe held her fast and strong. Desperation filled Jane's gaze, and she concentrated meticulously, eyes clearly straining with exertion.

The quirky blonde blinked in confusion before the transference of memories enlightened her. Jane had been attempting to use her gift, but Chloe was not experiencing any pain. The former vampire's eyes widened and Chloe's grip tightened before hauling her into an empty room and cautiously closing the door.

Jane looked warily from wall to wall before asking softly, "What do you want with me?"

Chloe laid a hand on Jane's shoulder. "Look, I'm not that…thing I was earlier." Her eyes glanced down momentarily before refocusing on Jane. "I need your help."

Jane met Chloe's eyes, some of her confidence returning. "And why should I help _you_?"

"Look, you can drop the act. I know you've changed. I can see it. I need to find my friend - Clark. Where is he?"

At the mention of Clark's name, Jane took a step back in horror, shaking her head.

"I don't know."

"Yes you do." Chloe's voice was firm as she met Jane's eyes. "Where _is_ he? What did you do to him?"

"I…" Jane's guilt-ridden eyes glanced quickly to the ground. "He's not here." She finally said, choosing to ignore the second question.

Chloe was about to protest that Clark wouldn't just leave her in a vampire stronghold to fend for herself, but quickly bit back her retort. After all, Clark _had_ left her stranded in the Yukon before, and she'd had to depend on a bald billionaire to cart her back to Smallville. Though…she knew Clark's motivations that time; he'd had to save his family from the meteor shower. Leaving her now was suspicious.

"So where _is_ he?" She asked.

"With the Olympic Coven."

Chloe paused, a confused look coming over her features. "The Olympic _coven_? As in a vampire coven?" she sputtered. "There's no way Clark would leave with a vampire coven."

Mirth shone in Jane's gaze and she smiled sagely. "Perhaps," she said, "unless he was told something that convinced him to leave."

Arms crossed defiantly as the blonde stared into Jane's eyes. "Clark wouldn't be interested in anything they had to say."

"Oh I think he would. Especially if Alice told Clark that you would find _him_."

Chloe shifted uncomfortably. "Who's Alice, and how would she do that?"

Jane sighed at Chloe's obvious stubbornness. "Alice, one of the coven's members, can see the future."

"I didn't think vampires had any talents other than speed, strength, and the ability to glamour people." Chloe said wryly.

Jane rolled her eyes. "I find it hard to believe you wouldn't have made certain _observations_ about vampire abilities while staying here," she answered.

Chloe sighed and folded her arms, frustrated, and feeling very out of sorts without her team and quick access to expensive technology. "Let's say you're right. I hate to break it to you Jane, but I don't even know where we _are_, let alone how to find Clark. And I don't exactly have much to work with."

"I know where he is." Jane said abruptly.

"Where?" Her head turned sharply to meet the girl's calculating eyes.

"Get me out of here and I'll tell you."

Chloe could see the sly look on the former vampire's face and immediately knew she was plotting. "You're Aro's favorite." She stated. "So why are you so keen to leave?"

Jane's eyes glinted darkly at this. "I've changed my mind." she replied, her answer curt and unrevealing.

Chloe folded her arms and glared. "I can see that. Why?"

Jane glanced at the door warily. They'd already been speaking too long. It was a miracle that no one had found them. "I am no longer loyal to Aro. That is all you need to know."

"How do I know you won't turn on me the first chance you get?"

Jane felt her chest tighten in rage. "Because if I _don't_ get out of here by tonight, Aro is going to change me!" she exclaimed. "They are searching for me as we speak, to lock me up."

"I figured that being a vampire again would be right up your alley." Chloe's tone was unbelieving.

Jane had had enough. "Shut up! You think you know everything! You don't. And if you ever hope to find Clark, you need me, so make your choice."

Chloe analyzed the girl for a minute before deciding she'd have to take the risk. Clark had to be found. "Fine. But I'm warning you, once we're in the car, I expect some explanations." She leaned in, grabbing Jane's arm, and said in her best threatening voice. "Just know that if this is some sort of trap, you _will_ regret it."

Jane snatched her arm back. "You can't do anything without that atrocity controlling you."

Chloe's eyes narrowed menacingly. "Do you really want to take that chance?"

Jane frowned, realizing the two were at an impasse. "We need to hurry." She said simply. "We've been talking too long. Aro will be looking for me soon. He won't let me go so easily."

The tiny girl moved toward the door gracefully and pulled it open enough to peek out. Satisfied at the emptiness of the corridors she motioned to Chloe, who walked toward her. They headed left to exit the Volturi stronghold but one of Aro's guards passed by and swiftly yanked Jane away.

"My apologies if she is bothering you, Miss. She is supposed to be isolated."

Jane's expression was frantic and pleading as she held her hand out, imploring Chloe to help, but Chloe knew that was not the wisest course of action, at least not at this moment. She met Jane's gaze briefly, hoping to convey her promise of help before turning abruptly and walking away.

* * *

"You brought him to an airport? Are you insane? And now you're telling me he hasn't even _hunted_ yet?" Edward hissed.

Alice faced him head on. "Edward, will you just _listen_ for a second?"

Clark watched as Alice argued with the bronze-haired boy he presumed to be Edward. So far he hadn't been overly impressed. Edward seemed stubborn and unreasonable. Clark desperately wanted to butt in and defend Alice, but he was too scared to stop holding his breath as she instructed. After all, there were hundreds of people inside the airport, all of which could be in danger from him.

"Are you serious? We can't put him on a plane, Alice! I would think that much is clear."

"Edward you can see as well as I do that it turns out okay."

"Based on his intent not to kill, but what if he loses control?"

Alice stared daggers at Edward. "The future I predicted for you and Bella once depended on your intent not to kill her. Are you saying that your intent wasn't good enough, Edward?"

Edward gritted his teeth. "It almost wasn't. You don't know how close I came to killing her."

Alice fumed. "Actually, I do. When you were undecided I had two equally possible visions, and they kept flipping back and forth as you wrestled with your conscience. I trusted you, and you controlled your thirst, Edward. Now trust _him_!"

"Don't compare his situation to mine! _I'm_ not a newborn." Edward growled. "And I saw a glimpse of a second vision before you tuned it out."

"Then you should understand!" She exclaimed before sighing. "He is an exceptional newborn. Yes, he doubts himself. But his resolve is so strong, there's barely even a minuscule chance that..."

Edward cut her off. "I don't care. We are not putting him on a plane."

"Then how do _you_ suggest we get him to Forks?"

Clark had been following the conversation for some time now, his irritation building as each minute ticked by. By the time he had a chance to interrupt, the urge to have words with the two vampires was overwhelming, and Clark moved between them.

"I can hear you." he spat. "But I don't hear anyone asking me what _I_ think."

"Because it doesn't matter." Edward growled. "You're not going on a plane."

Clark raised an eyebrow. _Who died and made him king?_

Edward glared so hard at Clark that he wondered if Edward somehow heard his thoughts.

"Unless you come up with another idea, I think you're going to have to deal with it."

Clark folded his arms, declaring the subject closed, but Edward was equally as stubborn.

"Have it your way, but it'll be slaughter," he growled.

The suggestive word triggered an image of lifeless bodies and gushing blood, causing Clark's mind to concentrate on the scent he'd been successfully distracted from. Even outside, it was overwhelming, coming from every corner. Clark could barely discern which direction his body wanted to go. The burn in his throat was comparable to a week's worth of thirst, and he swallowed as he would if parched.

_Don't think about it. Don't think about it. Stop breathing. Stop._

It was Edward who grabbed Clark's arm and led him into the forest, leaving Alice to catch up to their rapidly disappearing figures.

"Breathe." Edward instructed, once they were about three hundred meters past the tree line. Clark did as he was told. The air was cleaner, fresher, and free of the awful aroma that robbed him of his control. Relief flooded his body.

"Thanks," he said. "I wasn't expecting...I mean, you're kind of a jerk."

Edward frowned, but it quickly changed into a hint of a smirk. "I know you don't like people making decisions for you, but it really is in your best interest. Alice should never have brought you to an airport, of all places."

A now present Alice folded her arms angrily and glared with darkening eyes. "Well if _you_ had kept quiet, Edward, my second vision would have disappeared. As it stands now, even _I_ wouldn't suggest a plane, or even a ship." She sighed. "It looks as though we're going to have to swim."

She pouted, looking down at her new dress.

A chuckle of disbelief escaped from the chest of the now pale Kryptonian. Seeing the looks on both Edward and Alice's faces he paused, his expression betraying his incredulity at the situation. "You're serious..."

"Obviously." Edward shot. "Unless you want to have murder on your conscience."

"Edward!" A sharp smack rang through the air as Alice's hand collided with Edward's head. The surprised vampire looked at his foster sister in shock before she turned to Clark, allowing him the full extent of her angry expression. "You're being ridiculous, _both_ of you!" She exclaimed.

"Me?" Clark asked. "_I'm_ being..." He shook his head. "_You're_ the one who just suggested we swim across the _Atlantic Ocean_!"

"Because that's what we have to do!" Alice exclaimed.

Clark shifted his stance, more out of habit than anything, before meeting the two vampires' eyes with hardened resolve.

"You're forgetting one thing." He said, his eyes steely. "I'm not going anywhere without Chloe."

"Clark, I _explained_ this!"

Clark tilted his head. "You said she'll meet us. For all I know, that could be a year in the future. Who knows what could happen to her by then?"

He turned in the direction of Volterra, jaw set, and eyes blazing with determination. Alice recognized the expression from before, when he'd picked her up and zoomed to the airport, and grabbed Clark's arm just as his body poised to run. Desperation and fear clouded her golden eyes as she clutched his arm tightly.

"Clark, you can't go! It's not just Chloe's life riding on this!"

Clark paused, considering her words. Edward's eyes shot Alice a warning look but she continued.

"It would end in disaster." she said. "The world...would be in danger."

Newly red eyes widened and Clark's jaw dropped. "What?" The Kryptonian shrugged off Alice's hand and turned so that he was towering over the petite pixie-like girl with intimidation. "You said this was about _Chloe_!" he hissed, and flinched at how odd it sounded.

"It _is_." she sighed. "Look, I've already said more than I should. Now can we _please_ go?"

Clark frowned. He couldn't chance the world ending just because he needed to see Chloe. He'd have to save her another way, but he didn't entirely trust Alice and Edward either.

"Fine. But when we get to the States, you've got some explaining to do, _both_ of you."

Edward growled. "And what about _you_? It's only since _you_ showed up that Alice has been having visions of the world going to hell!"

Clark's gaze became steely, and he looked away for a minute before crossing his arms. This was getting him nowhere. But there was one person who would know what to do, if he was even here: Jor-el. To hell with the middlemen, he wanted to know what was going on - _now_.

"I've had enough of this. I'm going to get some answers."

Edward and Alice shared a confused glance as he turned away.

"And where do you plan to get those?" Edward asked.

Clark raised an eyebrow. "None of your business."

"In the Arctic?" Edward laughed. "Do you think that polar bears will have the answer?"

With a whoosh the boy disappeared, and Edward was left to glance at Alice questioningly.

"I can see where he's headed. Let's go."

"Serves him right if he gets into trouble. Idiot."

"_Now_, Edward." Alice said, an expression of annoyance showing in her golden eyes. Edward nodded, and they headed for the airport with haste.

* * *

The dim light of the corridors cast shadows on the stone walls and hidden alcoves of the Volturi Castle. Blue eyes peeked around a corner as Chloe Sullivan used the cover to her advantage, watching two vampires drag a small cloaked blonde girl along the ground with brutal force. The girl looked tiny beside the men's towering figures, but was not intimidated at their stature; she struggled fiercely and glared at them with disgust. The taller of the two men laughed at her defiant attitude before turning toward a door and fitting an old skeleton key in the lock.

The old door banged inward, and Chloe took the opportunity to sneak behind a nearby pillar. She peered around cautiously. Jane was tossed clumsily into the dungeon-esque cell, falling immediately to her knees as the two vampires chuckled cruelly.

"Not so tough now, are you?" One voice mocked.

Jane's eyes shone with pure hatred.

The other man's glare caused a silence to come over the trio but it was broken by the reverberating thud of the heavy door as it closed. Jane's hands grasped the metal bars, tightening around them in protest.

Chloe suddenly felt very vulnerable as she met Jane's gaze. The vampires seemed to sense her presence, but she abruptly darted back behind the pillar before they turned around. The sound of heavy footsteps drew nearer, and Chloe's heart began to race, her breaths coming quicker. Horror clouded her features. She knew vampires had sharp hearing; it could easily be her undoing.

She felt her body trying to take a sharp intake of air and forced it into a dozen shallow breaths. Her mind raced along with her heart. Chloe wasn't sure she'd ever heard it beat so loud.

Another footstep echoed, much closer this time, and Chloe closed her eyes, fisting the soft material of her blouse.

_Don't hear my heartbeat._

Thud.

_Please don't hear my heartbeat._

Thud.

And then, as if by a miracle, the steps turned sharply and headed toward the hall Chloe had arrived from. She listened to the footfalls, waiting until they'd faded in the distance before exhaling deeply.

_Whew. Now what, Sullivan?_

She emerged from behind the pillar and analyzed the situation. Chloe's eyes narrowed as she considered Jane's unguarded cell with suspicion. It wasn't like the Volturi to be so careless. But then, who would expect Jane, now human, to escape in the midst of a vampire stronghold? Furthermore, it was quite possible that no one expected her to want to leave. Chloe sighed. Regardless of the reason, she was going to have to take advantage of the lax security and save her suspicion for later.

She moved stealthily to the cell and knelt down, carefully removing two bobby pins from her hair and working them into the lock.

"Chloe?" a voice asked from above. Chloe glanced up to see Jane's face pressed against the bars.

"Yes?"

Jane frowned and paused before reluctantly saying, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." Chloe muttered, poking one of the bobby pins further into the lock. It suddenly clicked, causing the door to fall inward.

Chloe smirked. "Third time's the charm. Now what's the best way out of here?"

"I might be able to help with that." Jane answered. She walked into the middle of the floor, where three pathways met, and motioned to the one in front of her. At its far end was an empty corridor. "It's the least heavily guarded."

The pair tiptoed carefully away from the cell, cautiously glancing around before reaching the enclosed area and moving at a quicker pace. A few suits of armor adorned the stone walls, along with tapestries displaying the Volturi coat of arms. Jane suddenly gripped Chloe's arm and Chloe fought the urge to yelp as the smaller girl hauled her into a large bedroom and shut the door. She was immediately disturbed by the paintings on the walls.

"Quick, hide." Jane hissed at her, before scrambling under the bed with fervor.

Chloe spun around, coming back to her senses quickly enough to dart behind a corner curtain. Voices sounded in the hallway. Jane recognized them: Aro and Caius.

"This is unfortunate Aro, but she could not have gone far."

"I believe you are right, my friend."

"I know she was somewhat of your pet."

Jane's hand balled into a fist at this offensive declaration, but she caught herself before she could do anything rash.

Both girls froze in fear as the two Volturi rulers walked swiftly past the closed door without stopping. They waited until the echoes faded before removing themselves from their hiding places.

Chloe again took in the decorated room. It was enormous for one person, and held a bookshelf, along with a small sofa and a large bed. A dark red area rug covered the stone floor and Chloe wondered if the color was intentional. She shuddered. Paintings hung on the walls, and each one seemed to document a particularly bloody battle.

"The Knights Templar." Jane said with a nod. "I've always been interested in historical battles."

Chloe looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Kinda sadistic aren't you?"

Jane coughed back a laugh before idly running a hand down the spine of a book she'd had open just four days ago: The Art of War. She felt Chloe's eyes boring into her and swiftly snapped her hand back. "We need to leave. Now." She responded coolly.

A small groan escaped from the protesting door as Jane pulled it ajar. Her figure suddenly bolted backwards, stumbling awkwardly behind it. Jane sat, eyes closed, feeling an unfamiliar emotion take hold of her every limb.

_So this is what fear feels like._ She loathed it; fear was a weakness.

Another set of footsteps passed the door and Jane waited until they were well past before whispering "Felix."

With that, the two girls crept out of the room and headed in the opposite direction. Feet pushed off hard stone floors with fervor and the soft breathing of the two girls echoed louder than they would have liked.

The girls were slowing now, feeling safer after navigating for many minutes without incident. Then they came to a fork.

"Which way?" Chloe whispered.

"Left." Jane answered without hesitation.

Muffled voices dully bounced off castle walls behind them. "This way!"

Jane and Chloe quickly bolted left and away from the approaching vampires, though both knew they could only evade them for so long.

_And now would be a great time to turn on the speed, BrainIAC._ Chloe thought caustically. She could swear she heard a soft chuckle from within her skull and bit back a curse.

"In here!" Jane suddenly whispered, darting sharply to her right.

Chloe blindly followed, promptly coming face to face with three very smug red-eyed Volturi guards. She turned around and found both her and Jane's pathway blocked by Demetri.

"Well, well." Heidi said maliciously, her red lips turning up into a grin. "What a perfectly delicious turn of events."


End file.
